Just Let Me Go
by linzay19
Summary: After Amy accepts a date with someone else, Sheldon begins to wonder if should take their relationship to the next level or let her go. Rated T for later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: All credit goes to the show and its creators. **

It's been a few years since I've actually written any sort of fanfiction, so please bare with me as I get back into the swing of things. Reviews are always helpful, but only constructive criticism please.

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><p>Sheldon sat in his spot. All he could do was sit there, lost in his thoughts, wondering why Amy would accept a date with another man. More importantly, he wondered why he cared about it as much as he did. He had always been a man of science and logic, so why couldn't be make sense of his own feelings?<p>

He had always prided himself on the fact that he found his equal Homonovus and that he could share a relationship of the mind with her without all the politics of regular relationships getting in the way. He had always thought that Amy was just as happy with the relationship as he was. He wondered if maybe be had been wrong all this time. Perhaps that's why she accepted the date with the other man. Maybe he could offer her what he had failed to for the duration of their relationship.

"Hey Sheldon," Leonard said as he walked in the door.

Sheldon quickly snapped out of his trans.

"Well, hello, Leonard. How was your day?" Sheldon said, trying not to sound suspicious.

"Good, I guess. Are you okay?" Leonard knew something was up. After living with Sheldon for several years, he had learned to pick up on the not so subtle clues that something was defiantly up with Sheldon.

"Of course, Leonard. Why wouldn't they be?" Sheldon said , trying to cavalier.

"Oh, I don't know. You're acting weirder than normal and the fact that Amy is out on a date with another man. Stop me at any time here," Leonard said matter-of-factly.

"I don't own Amy. We are not involved in any sort of romantic relationship. I have no reason to be upset about her going out with someone who is clearly below her intellect," Sheldon said hoping to throw Leonard off.

"Right, that's what you said when I went with her to the wedding and then you karate chopped me when I got home and screamed, 'She's not for you!' I don't buy it," Leonard said with a sense of sarcasm.

"Say what you will, Leonard, but I am perfectly okay with the fact that she is out on a date with someone else," Sheldon said as he got up and headed towards to door.

"Where are you going then?" Leonard asked, already knowing the answer.

"To go talk to Penny," Sheldon replied.

"About Amy?" Leonard asked.

"I don't see how that's any of your concern," Sheldon said as he hastily walked out the door.

The truth was, he was going to talk to Penny about Amy. For once, maybe Penny knew something that he didn't. Maybe Penny could offer some insight into what he might be feeling for Amy and why he is so bothered by the fact that she was out with someone else.

Knock, knock, knock, "Penny."

Knock, knock, knock, "Penny."

Knock, knock, knock, "Penny."

"You know, Sheldon, that really isn't necessary," Penny said as she opened the door.

"Honestly, Penny. I don't see why I should have to explain this to you every time," Sheldon said, aggravated.

"You know what? I shouldn't have said anything. What do you need?" Penny asked.

"Well, I was hoping that I could perhaps talk to you about Amy," Sheldon said, in hopes that Penny would not start judging him.

"Aww, you're totally jealous right now, aren't you?" Penny squealed.

"I most certainly am not. I am perfectly happy for Amy." Sheldon said, taken off guard by Penny's statement.

"Really?" Penny asked, seeing straight through Sheldon's lie.

"No," Sheldon said, feeling defeated in his attempts to hid his true feelings.

"Come in, we can talk," Penny said as she moved so that Sheldon could come in and sit in his spot that he had in her apartment.

"I just don't see what he could possibly offer Amy. He's not of the same superior intellect as I am and has remedial job that has no real potential," Sheldon said, exasperated.

"Did you ever stop to think that maybe Amy wants more than your genius, relationship of the mind thing that you have going on?" Penny asked, already knowing the answer.

"No, I haven't," Sheldon said, clearly lying to both himself and Penny. He had, in fact, thought about that, he just wasn't willing to admit that it was, in part, why Amy would accept a date with another man.

"Don't you think that perhaps you should start considering taking your relationship with Amy to the next level?" Penny asked.

"Whatever do you mean?" Sheldon asked.

"How about telling her how you feel?" Penny said, annoyed that she should have to explain this to such a intelligent man.

"She already knows that I value our friendship a great deal and consider her to be my intellectual equal. What other 'feelings' do I need to express?" Sheldon asked, quizzically.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe that you love her?" Penny asked sarcastically.

"Honestly, Penny. Love is such an overrated emotion," Sheldon said condescendingly.

"Sheldon, you can say what you want about it, but you love her and at the end of the day, even the most brilliant mind can't control what his heart feels. So, either you tell Amy that you love her or risk her ending up with some other man that was willing to put logic aside and embrace what he felt for her." Penny said. She was trying her damnedest to get through to Sheldon, but she knew that she was never going to convince him to tell Amy how he really felt.

"Well, I must say Penny, you make a valid argument," Sheldon said, getting up from his spot to leave.

"Say what?" Penny was shocked that he was actually taking into consideration what she was telling him.

"I really don't see what you didn't understand about my previous statement. It seemed pretty straightforward and understandable, even for someone with your IQ," Sheldon said walking out the door, closing it behind him before Penny could respond.

Sheldon couldn't stand to thought of Amy ending up with someone else. As he stood in the hallway, contemplating his next move, he asked himself, "Am I really in love with Amy?" He wasn't quite sure how to answer that question just yet, but he knew he had to figure it out and quick.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I really appreciate those of you that have left reviews. They are really encouraging, especially since this is the first fanfic that I have posted six years. I was incredibly nervous but I'm thankful that the first chapter got such a positive reception. I don't usually update this quickly, but I already had chapter 2 half way written when I posted chapter 1. Chapter 3 is already in the works, so hopefully I can post it soon. Enjoy!

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><p>Sheldon entered his apartment to find Leonard sitting at his computer doing some work. He contemplated asking Leonard for his opinion on the matter. After all, Leonard was his best friend and had given him some excellent advice in the past when it came to Amy. Before Sheldon could make a decision, Leonard had already looked up at him.<p>

"How'd your talk with Penny go?" Leonard asked.

"Quite well, I suppose," Sheldon said, not really wanting to divulge any details of his and Penny's conversation.

"Get anything accomplished?" Leonard asked.

"Not really. Say, do you think I could ask for your opinion on the matter?" Sheldon asked as he walked over to his computer.

"Depends, are you ready to admit that you're jealous that Amy went out with another man tonight?" Leonard asked, expecting Sheldon to object.

"Honestly, what is everyone's obsession with getting me to admit that I am jealous?" Sheldon retorted.

"Sheldon, unless you admit to yourself that you are jealous, then you're never going to get the answer that you are looking for," Leonard answered.

"Fine, let's say for sake of argument that I am jealous. What would one do in this type of situation?" Sheldon replied.

"Well, if you're jealous, that means that you have some sort of romantic feelings for Amy. The first thing you should do is figure out to what extend those feeling go to exactly" Leonard said, encouragingly.

"I see. And tell me, Leonard. When one does figure out to what extent their feelings go to, what should they do then?" Sheldon asked, intrigued.

"Well, I guess you would tell Amy how you feel about her," Leonard said matter-of-factly.

"How would I go about doing that?" Sheldon was becoming more and more interested in how this process worked. He wanted to gather as much information as possible, as though this was one of his experiments.

"Have you considered just going over to her place and being straight-forward with her?" Leonard asked. He knew Sheldon would never do such a thing, but he hoped that maybe this whole date thing with Amy would encourage him to do so. The whole group was secretly rooting for Amy and Sheldon. As much as Sheldon irritated them, they are really did want to see him happy, and Amy made him happy. They could all see it on his face when she would walk into a room.

"Well, no. I haven't considered that. What would I say?" Sheldon asked, taken aback by the recent revelation that maybe he actually should go tell Amy how he felt.

"Well, do you love her?" Leonard asked, already knowing the answer. He just wanted to see if Sheldon would finally admit to it.

"I care a great deal about her, yes. I also value her companionship and her intellect." Sheldon said as though Leonard should have known this already.

"Right, I know that. But do you love her?" Leonard asked, trying to get Sheldon to realize where he was going with these questions.

"Leonard, how can you possibly expect me to answer the question? " Sheldon snapped back.

"Sheldon, you know exactly how you are suppose to answer that question…" Leonard said sarcastically.

"What is the notion of 'love' anyway? It's just an excuse for people to do all sorts of crazy things that they wouldn't do under any rational circumstance," Sheldon said in a huff.

"Call it what you want, but you love her and you know it. We all know it, Sheldon," Leonard said assertively. With that Leonard got up and walked to his room, leaving Sheldon there with his thoughts.

How was it possible that everyone _knew_ he loved Amy when had only just begun entertaining the idea hours prior to his conversation with Leonard. Was it possible that they saw something that he had not between himself and Amy? More importantly, were they right? Did he, in fact, actually love this woman?

Sheldon's heart began to beat heavy in his chest and his head began to ache. He looked at is watch and checked them time. It was getting late and he knew Amy would be home soon from her evening out. It was almost time for their nightly Skype chat.

He had no idea what he was going to say to her. If he asked how her date went, she might interpret it as him being okay with her seeing another man. But, if he didn't ask, she might consider it insensitive of him. However he proceeded, he knew he had to be cautious.

No sooner than he finished his last though, he heard that familiar Skype ring tone come over his computer speakers. It was Amy. It was now or never.

"Hello, Sheldon," Amy said from the small chat window.

"Hello, Amy. Good to see you on this lovely evening," Sheldon replied hesitantly.

"Indeed it was a lovely evening." Amy said in her normal deadpan expression.

"How was your evening with your gentleman caller?" Sheldon asked sarcastically. He truly did not want to hear the answer to that question, but he had decided to ask because it was the social norm. Regardless of how he felt about her and about the situation at hand, he couldn't ignore the social constructs, his mind just wouldn't let him.

"It was a pleasant evening filled with idle chit-chat and laughter," Amy said, secretly hoping it would spark some sort of response from Sheldon that would solidify what she and everyone else already knew.

As much as Sheldon wanted to burst out in a fit about how he was not suitable for her and how he, himself, was a much better fit for her, he restrained himself.

"Is he someone that you see yourself going out with again?" Sheldon asked, again not really wanting to hear the answer.

"Should the opportunity present itself again, I would consider it," Amy replied.

Something was stirred up in Sheldon with that last statement. It didn't sit well with him. He didn't like the fact that Amy was seriously considering going out with this man again. Someone that she was clearly too good for. It was in that instant that Sheldon finally realized what Penny and Leonard had been trying to tell him. He felt _something_ for Amy and needed to tell her before the opportunity for a second date between Amy and this gentleman presented itself.

"Sheldon?" Amy said, snapping Sheldon back to reality.

"Yes?" Sheldon said, still a little hazy.

"Is everything okay?" Amy asked in a concerning tone.

"Yes. Actually, everything is okay. Say, Amy, would object to a spur of the moment visit from myself? There's a matter that we need to discuss and I think it would be best to do it person," Sheldon said, calmly.

"Of course not, Sheldon," Amy replied. She had a feeling that she knew what this was about. At least, she hoped that she knew what it was about.

With that, Sheldon was gone. He went to go ask Leonard if perhaps he would mind taking him to go see Amy. It was still a reasonable hour and Sheldon knew that Leonard never went to bed before midnight anyways.

Knock, knock, knock, "Leonard."

Knock, knock, knock, "Leonard."

Knock, knock, knock, "Leonard."

"What, Sheldon?" Leonard asked hastily.

"Leonard, would you be ever so kind as to take me over to Amy's. Theirs is a matter that her and myself need to discuss and it is of the highest importance," Sheldon said, hoping to convince Leonard to take him.

Leonard was surprisingly happy to do it. He wanted this for Sheldon. More than that, he wanted what Sheldon had with Amy. The whole group did. They wanted the innocence that Sheldon and Amy had about them in terms of their relationship. They were all rooting for Sheldon and Amy because of the significance it held. If these two can find love, surely the rest of them could too.


	3. Chapter 3

Again, I really do appreciate all of the reviews that I have got. They certainly have been encouraging. This was one of the harder chapters to write. However, I have finally figured out what my end game is, so hopefully that will help with future chapters.

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><p>Leonard and Sheldon sat in the car outside of Amy's apartment. Sheldon wasn't quite sure what his next move was. He had never been in this situation before. Before Amy came along, Sheldon was quite content with the idea of not getting involved with any sort of romantic relationship. Sheldon's head was spinning with all of the thoughts racing around.<p>

"Sheldon, are you going to go in?" Leonard asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Leonard, what am I doing?" Sheldon questioned.

"Well, right now, I think you're second guessing yourself," Leonard replied.

"Seriously, Leonard. Is this just some impulse that under any rational circumstance I would not act upon?" Sheldon asked. For the first time in his life, he didn't have all the answers. He couldn't break down a situation and use logic and reason to figure out the appropriate response. For once, he actually had to sit and question what he should do.

"Sheldon, something brought you here, and it wasn't me," Leonard said.

"Well, of course you did, you drove," Sheldon replied. Clearly, he still had not grasped to concept of metaphors.

"That's not what I meant. I just meant there was a reason you wanted to come here tonight," Leonard said.

Sheldon sat there for a few seconds, taking in what Leonard had just said. It was true, there was a reason he wanted to come here tonight, but was it the right reason? He knew that this wasn't like him. If it were anyone else besides Amy, he would have never given it a second thought when he heard they had accepted a date with another man. What was it about this particular situation? What was it about her that did this to him?

"Sheldon, I think you need to go in and talk to her. You came all this way and she's expecting you," Leonard said.

Sheldon nodded and got out of the car. His chest had never felt so heavy in his life. Whatever this was, he could tell it was significant. He knew that there were few times in a person's life when they could look back and know exactly which moments their lives would be changed forever. He knew that this was on of those moments. Regardless of what happened, this was the day that he took a step outside of his comfort zone and did something completely irrational.

Knock, knock, knock, "Amy."

Knock, knock, knock, "Amy."

Knock, knock, knock, "Amy."

"Hello, Sheldon. Please, do come in," Amy said when she opened the door. Sheldon entered her apartment, still not entirely sure what he should do. He was in over his head and he knew it.

"Hello, Amy," he said, shyly.

"So, what matter did you want to discuss?" Amy asked.

"Amy, this gentleman that you went out with tonight, do you feel like he could be a suitable mate for you?" Sheldon asked. He had not even bothered to sit down. He wasn't sure what he was doing. The only thing that felt natural in the situation was standing and even then, he didn't know how long that would last, as his knees were beginning to shake.

"I'm not quite sure what you mean, Sheldon," Amy replied, taken off guard.

"You said that should the opportunity present itself, you would consider going on a second date with this gentleman. Do you find him to be a suitable mate for you." Sheldon's voice was starting to shake and he couldn't look Amy in the eyes any longer.

"I suppose he has some characteristics that would make him an effective mate." The words tore through Sheldon. It wasn't the answer that he wanted to hear. He wasn't sure what he wanted her to say, but he knew that it wasn't that. What Sheldon said next surprised even himself.

"Amy, he's not good enough for you," he said, finally meeting her eyes again. Sheldon was not sure where the words came from. They certainly were not something he would say normally, but then again, nothing about this was normal for him.

"What?" Amy said, take aback but what she had just heard.

"He's not good enough for you. He's below your intellect and can not offer you anything more than mediocrity. I realize that maybe I'm not the best choice either, as I have failed to give you what you wanted in our boy/girl/friendship, but please do not sell yourself short with this average Joe," Sheldon said. He wasn't sure what he was trying to accomplish with that statement, but he just had to say it. It had been eating at him since their conversation on Skype.

"Sheldon, I assure you, I have thoroughly enjoyed our time together. However, a relationship of the mind can only go so far. You have to realize that eventually, this was bound to happened," Amy said.

Sheldon didn't know how to respond. He knew that whatever said next was going to impact their friendship immensely. He figured that it was now or never.

"Amy, allow me to be frank. I have just spent the past several hours going over why it is that I was as, for lack of a better term, jealous that you went out with this gentleman. I have come up with every possible explanation that I could think of, including, but not limited to, being dangerously ill. However, upon talking to both Penny and Leonard, I have come to the conclusion that I simply do not have all the answers. I am not the brilliant man that I thought I was because my entire life, I have only thought in a rational sense and, let's face it, nothing about this is rational. The reason that I cannot stand the fact that you were out with another man is because I have some sort of feelings for you, Amy Farrah Fowler, and while I have not yet figured out what those feelings are, I know that I simply cannot stand here and let you go out with that gentleman again," Sheldon said.

Sheldon felt a huge weight lifted off of his shoulders as soon as the words left him. His chest felt lighter and his head stopped aching. He looked up at Amy, who was in utter shock of what she had just heard. This was not what she had expected from him, but she liked seeing this different side of him.

In response, she did the only thing that she could think of. She kissed him. Sheldon's heart flipped. He finally understood everything Penny and Leonard had been trying to tell him. He finally understood what this "feeling" they had been trying to tell him about was. He wasn't quite sure that it was love, but he knew it was something and he wasn't going to let it go


	4. Chapter 4

After Sheldon and Amy broke apart from their kiss, they just stood there, looking at each other. Neither knew what to do or what to say. There was just a silence between them, an uncertainty. There was no going back to the way things use to be from here. Their friendship was forever altered and they were beginning to feel the weight of that.

"Amy…," Sheldon finally said.

"Yes, Sheldon?" Amy asked.

"What was that?" Sheldon didn't really know what to say.

"I'm not sure," Amy replied.

"What do we do now?" Sheldon asked.

"I'm not quite sure about that either." Amy was just as stunned as Sheldon was. This certainly wasn't what either of them had planned on happening.

"I think that perhaps we should analyze the situation and come up with possible explanations for what just occurred," Amy suggested.

"I think perhaps we should," Sheldon replied.

"Well, tonight I went on a date with another man, causing you to get jealous. After our nightly Skype chat, you came over, told me that you have some sort of feelings and I proceeded to kiss you," Amy riddled off.

"I guess the explanation is quite clear when you lay it all out like that," Sheldon said.

"I suppose it is," Amy replied.

"Should we perhaps consider taking out relationship to another level?" Sheldon asked.

"What is your proposal?" Amy knew there would have to be negotiation when it came to Sheldon.

"I propose that we move from our boy/girl/friend relationship to a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship." Sheldon was bracing himself for a rebuttal from Amy. Surprisingly, he didn't get one.

"I accept your proposal," she replied enthusiastically. This is what she had wanted for a long time and she was going to take it, no matter what terms and conditions it came with. She was falling for the genius.

"Well, then I will on my way to go draw up an agreement. I'll have it first thing in the morning. Until then, Amy, this has been a wonderful evening," Sheldon said as he headed toward the door to leave.

"Sheldon," Amy said as she tried to catch him before he left.

"Yes?" Sheldon asked as he turned around. Amy walked up to him and kissed him again. Sheldon's heart flipped again. After what felt like a life time for Sheldon, they split apart.

"I'm glad you came over tonight," Amy said with a smile on her face. She truly was happy that he came over.

"As am I," Sheldon said with a grin on his face. With that, he left and went to go find Leonard. It had been an emotionally draining day and it was well past his bed time.

When he got to the car, Leonard was startled. Leonard had been lost in his own thoughts and was not paying attention to anything.

"How did things go over with Amy?" Leonard asked, after getting his composure back.

"Pretty well, actually," Sheldon said. He still had that goofy grin on his face.

"How well is pretty well?" Leonard asked skeptically.

"We talked, she kissed me, we talked again, and we agreed that it was time to move our relationship forward," Sheldon said.

"Really? Sheldon, that's great. I'm happy for the both of you. And, might I just say that it's about time," Leonard said.

"Thank you, Leonard," Sheldon replied.

Leonard was beyond happy to see that Sheldon was happy. He was also happy to see Sheldon coming out of his shell and making a connection with someone beyond a friendship. Leonard knew that some people truly did not need a relationship to make them happy and he knew that Sheldon was one of those people. However, Leonard had always hoped that Sheldon could experience it, just once, so that maybe he would understand why the rest of them chased after relationships so much and would finally get off their backs about it.

"Although, I must say, I'm still not entirely sure about it, "Sheldon added to his previous statement.

"What do mean?" Leonard said in a concerned tone.

"Leonard, I'm not sure that I can give Amy what she wants out of a relationship," Sheldon said, his grin beginning to fade.

"Sheldon, you are over thinking this. Amy wants to be with you. Everyone knows it and you know it too. Your entire life has always been about science. Until now, you've never really known anything else. Now, you have a real shot to learn something new and go outside of your comfort zone. Don't screw it up by second guessing yourself. You're a genius, but there's still room to learn," Leonard said.

Sheldon just sat there, taking in what Leonard had just said. It was true, his life had always been about science, and for the longest time, he was completely okay with that. It was the life he had always grew up wanting. Then Amy came along and, at first, nothing changed. He was still completely okay with not being involved with any sort of romantic relationships, as it gave him more time to prove String Theory. Then something happened the more he got to know Amy. He wasn't sure what it was, but it had him questioning whether or not he really was happy with his life revolving around science. Was there more to life than studying science and proving theories and trying to win a Noble Prize?

Leonard was right however. Sheldon knew that there was still room left to learn. Was it possible for Sheldon to learn how to be the boyfriend that Amy wanted? Was he willing to learn how to be the boyfriend that Amy wanted? Or was this whole thing doomed from the start? Sheldon didn't have the answers to all of those questions at the moment, but he knew that he needed to figure them out and fast.

"Leonard, what if I can't be who she wants me to be?" Sheldon asked.

"I'm not sure. You know her better than any of us. Haven't you ever talked about it?" Leonard replied.

"Not directly. If anything, it was more of what we wouldn't want in a relationship," Sheldon said.

"Well, start from there. Besides, I doubt Amy expects you to he her ideal boyfriend. She knows how you are and she still likes you anyways," Leonard said.

"What do you mean, Leonard?" Sheldon asked.

"I just mean, it's not about completely changing who you are in order to make someone happy. It's negotiation and compromise," Leonard answered.

"Well, I am good at negotiation," Sheldon replied. Maybe this wasn't going to be as difficult as he thought.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Sorry for such a delay in the updates. I injured my hand, which made it hard to type and I had a major case of writer's block. This is a shorter chapter, but I promise, the coming chapters are going to make up for it.

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><p>Sheldon had not got a lot of sleep that night. His mind was spinning from everything that had happened just hours before. In one day, he had gone from possibly losing Amy to another man to having her as his girlfriend.<p>

This was a huge step for Sheldon. His entire life had always been about science and logic. He never really conformed to social norms and never really had any desire to enter into a romantic relationship. He wasn't even sure what to do in a relationship. Moreover, he wasn't sure he was ready to _do_ what other people do in relationships.

Suddenly, Sheldon heard a knock at the door. He had been expecting Amy. She was coming over to sign the relationship agreement that Sheldon had typed up. He had hoped that she wouldn't think that it was too evasive or demanding. That was not what he was aiming for.

"Good morning, Amy. Please, do come in," Sheldon said when he answered the door.

"Good morning, Sheldon. I believe we have some business the attend to," Amy said in her infamous dead-pan expression.

"Yes, I believe we do. I have spent most of the morning preparing this agreement. It more or less lays out all the expectations and what is and is not allowed," Sheldon said as they sat down on the couch. Sheldon gave Amy the agreement that he had work very diligently on.

She read over it very carefully. The agreement included every major component of a romantic relationship and went it to great detail about the terms and conditions under which they can occur. She knew that any other human being would be appalled at the agreement. There would be no way that they would ever sign such a document. However, Amy wasn't like most people. She understood all of Sheldon's quirks and accepted them. It was who he was and there wasn't a thing that she would change about him. She signed the agreement with no contest.

"That's it? No rebuttal?" Sheldon questioned.

"The agreement seems reasonable," Amy responded.

"I must say, Amy, this seems to be going a lot easier than I anticipated," Sheldon said.

"Indeed. I had hoped that it would be," Amy replied.

"Amy, I have to be honest. This is the first time I have ever been involved in this type of situation. I'm not entirely familiar with all of the expectations and social constructs that come with a relationship," Sheldon said.

"Sheldon, I would be lying if I said that I didn't sympathize with you. I too am not familiar with relationships. However, what I am familiar with is the fact that I have wanted this for quite sometime," Amy replied.

"What are you saying?" Sheldon asked.

Amy leaned in close to Sheldon and looked him in the eyes and said, "It doesn't matter that we are new to the dating game. All that matters is that we make this thing work for us."

Sheldon smiled. He was relieved to know that Amy was okay with their arrangement. He was proud of himself for finally going outside of his comfort zone and going after something he truly wanted. He was content with the way things were with Amy. He was happy.

If only he knew what the future held for the two of them


	6. Chapter 6

Thanks everyone for being patient with me. I've been crazy busy with work lately. A special thank you to everyone who has sent in reviews. They've been lovely to read. I threw in a bit of Leonard and Penny in this chapter. Enjoy!

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><p>The last few weeks with Amy had been the best weeks of Sheldon's life. He no longer had to deny his feelings for Amy to anyone or himself. It was the happiest he had ever remembered being. He knew that it wasn't the perfect relationship, but it was perfect for them.<p>

"Amy, I think it's time that we go out for an actual date," Sheldon said matter-of-factly.

"I was just thinking the same thing," Amy replied.

"Shall we say, tonight around 7 at the movie theater?" Sheldon asked.

"Sounds good to me. Now, if you will excuse me, I must be getting back to my place." With that, Amy left Sheldon's apartment. Sheldon was elated that Amy and himself would be going on an actual date. Their other previous "dates" just were not sufficient enough for Sheldon. He wanted this date to be the best one that Amy had ever been on. It was going to be a spectacular night.

When Amy got to her apartment, she was excited beyond words. This was everything that she had hoped for with Sheldon. She had strong feelings for him and now she didn't have to hide them from him. Just as she was about to go take a bath, she heard a knock at the door. She looked through the peep hole and saw that it was a flower delivery man. She had a huge grin on her face as she opened the door the receive the flowers that she assumed Sheldon had sent her. She took the flowers from the delivery man and bid him a good afternoon before closing the door and taking the flowers over to her coffee table. She saw a card was attached to them and decided read it, only to be disappointed that the flowers were not from Sheldon.

_Amy, I had a wonderful evening the other night. I hope that we can do it again sometime. You're truly a wonderful woman and everything I've been looking for. -Ted._

Amy's stomach started to turn. She really did have a great time with Ted on their date. He was a true gentleman and really knew how to dance. But, she had Sheldon. She decided to dismiss the card and continue to get ready for her night out with Sheldon. She decided that he didn't need to know about this. They had a wonderful night ahead of them and this seemed insignificant.

Later that night, She met Sheldon at the theater. Penny and Leonard were with him. She frowned for second and Sheldon noticed.

"If everything okay, Amy?" Sheldon asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I had just hoped that we would be alone on our date," Amy said, confused.

"We will be. They are going to see a completely different movie. Penny has been talking non-stop about some Jennifer Aniston movie that she wants to see. However, we will be going to see a fascinating documentary," Sheldon excitedly said. Amy didn't question it anymore. She didn't care what the documentary was about, as long as she was seeing it with Sheldon. They talked with Leonard and Penny for a few minutes before they went to their respective movies. A few hours later, they all met in the lobby and decided to go get something to eat.

The date wasn't quite turning out the way Amy had hoped. She really wanted it to be a night that her and Sheldon could spend alone. She loved spending time with her bestie and Leonard, but this was a night she really just wanted to spend with Sheldon. Either way, she was still having fun.

"Hey Leonard, we should get a table to ourselves. You know, so we can spend some alone time together." It was as if Penny had read Amy's mind. Penny turned around and winked at Amy. She may have a lower IQ than all of them, but Penny was a genius when it came to matters like this.

"Sure," Leonard replied, completely oblivious to what Penny was doing.

Amy mouthed the words "Thank you" to Penny as they went to separate tables. They were seated close enough so that Penny could still see what was going on. She was happy for the two of them. She knew that the two of them were meant for each other. They may not have been headed down the same path ass Howard and Bernadette, but they were happy in their own little genius way. She was also happy that she could spend some alone time with her own boy genius. Leonard was the best thing to ever happen to her. He made her want to be a better person. She truly did love him and tonight she was going to tell him.

Meanwhile, at Sheldon and Amy's table, things were going great. Amy and Sheldon were having the time of their lives. This may not have been the date that she went on with Ted, but she was with the man that she truly wanted to be with that night.

As fate would have it, Ted walked into the restaurant. Amy's stomach began to turn again when she saw him walk in. She hoped that Ted would not see her. She even prayed a little that he would not see her. She kept smiling as Sheldon kept talking about his work at the University, in hopes that he would not realize that something was wrong.

Alas, her hopes were dashed.

"Hey, Amy," Ted said as he walked over to her table. Penny saw what was happening and immediately alerted Leonard. Penny told Leonard that Ted was the guy that Amy had gone out on a date with.

"Wow, he is really attractive. Explain to me why Amy chose Sheldon over him?" Leonard questioned. Penny smacked him in the arm for the comment and they went back to watching the scene unfold.

"I really had a great time the other night. I really hoped that you would call me sometime so that we could do it again sometime," Ted told Amy.

"Indeed it was a good time, but I'm with Sheldon now. I truly am sorry for the confusing," Amy replied. Sheldon just sat there. He got smug satisfaction in watching Amy tell Ted that she was no longer available.

"Oh, I should be the one that is sorry then. If I had known, I would not have sent the flowers. My apologies. Please enjoy the rest of your evening," Ted said as he walked away from the couple. Amy's heart stopped. She really wished the Sheldon did not hear the part about the flowers, but she knew that he did.

"Amy, what flowers is he talking about?" Sheldon asked.

"When I got home today, I had some flowers delivered to me. I honestly thought that they were from you, which is the only reason I accepted them. Then I read the note on the card and it said that they were from Ted," Amy replied, beginning to sink down into her seat.

"And you felt no need to tell me?" Sheldon was becoming increasingly upset and jealous.

"I didn't think that it was that big of a deal, to be honest." Amy said, feeling guilty.

"Not a big deal? You got flowers from a man _other_ than your boyfriend. How is that not a big deal?" Sheldon asked in a demanding tone.

"I had no intention of ever seeing him again. I want to be with you, not Ted." Amy's voice was beginning to shake a little.

"Clearly, he had every intention of seeing you again. Perhaps you should oblige him." With that, Sheldon got up and left the table. He stopped by Leonard and Penny's table and asked Leonard to take him home. Leonard told Penny that he would be back for her and Penny went over to where Amy was sitting to comfort her. Once Leonard and Sheldon got into the car, Leonard ripped into Sheldon.

"You know, you didn't have to be such an ass to Amy. She really does have feelings for you and obviously wasn't planning on going out with Ted again," Leonard began his lecture.

"If she had no intention of ever seeing him again, then she should have told him!" Sheldon had become quite anger over the situation.

"SHE DOESN'T WANT TO BE WITH TED! I don't know how else to get that through you thick skull. So he sent her flowers. That doesn't meant that you should throw away your entire relationship with Amy! She's in love with you and you are in love with her, even if you're too hard-headed to realize it."

The next thing Leonard heard was the sound of a car horn coming towards them.

Penny was at the restaurant trying to comfort Amy when she got a call. When she hung up the phone, she told Amy that they needed to go.

"Why?" Amy questioned.

"They boys were just in a car accident. Sheldon's been hurt."

With that they left for the hospital. Amy could not believe any of this was happening.


	7. Chapter 7

Time seemed to slow down around Amy. She could not wrap her head around what was happening. How was it, that not hours before this, her entire life was complete? How could she go from being completely happy to feeling like the worse person? How was it possible that her entire world was falling down around her?

The girls got to the hospital to find Leonard sitting in the waiting room. He looked as though he had just lost his best friend.

"Leonard! Oh my God, what happened?" Penny asked, in a panic.

"I was yelling at Sheldon about the way he had treated Amy in the restaurant. I told him that he was being hard-headed. Then, out of no where, a car ran a red light and hit the car on the passenger side," Leonard said, choking back tears. "Amy, I'm sorry." That was all he could get out before Penny hugged him.

"It's okay, Leonard. None of this was your fault," Amy said with tears coming down her face,

"Where is Sheldon now?" Penny asked.

"They had to take him to surgery. He had some internal bleeding," Leonard said.

Just then, the doctor came out to look for them. He looked as though he had just gone through hell in the operating room. Amy's heart sank as she looked at the expression on his face. She began thinking the worst had happened. She wasn't ready to face a world without Sheldon in it, regardless of whether he was speaking to her or not.

"Hi. I'm Dr. Wright, I did the surgery on Sheldon," the man told them.

"How is he?" Penny asked, almost pleading for good news.

"It was touch and go for a while. He was lucky. A few more inches and we wouldn't be having this conversation. You can see him once he wakes up," the doctor said. He smile and nodded and then walked back to his office.

"Oh my God. I just can't believe any of this," Penny said.

Amy just sat there silent. She didn't know what to say. This whole thing was very surreal to her. She had to be dreaming, and if so, this was her worst nightmare.

It seemed like years had passed before they got to see him. Amy felt like she was going to be sick to her stomach from how nervous she was. She knew Sheldon didn't want to see her, not after the fight they got into at the restaurant, but she marched on with her head held high. No matter what, she still loved him and wanted to be there for him when he needed her most.

When they finally reached his room, Leonard and Penny went in first, with Amy trailing behind them. Sheldon was awake and able to talk with them, although he was in a lot of pain. Amy suddenly felt scared, although she had no idea why. Sheldon was going to be okay, just a little bruised for a while. Then she looked up and saw Sheldon staring at her. A chill went through her spine. She felt like turning around and running as far away from that place as possible, but she stayed, and Sheldon kept his eyes on her.

"Sheldon, sweetie, how are you feeling?" Penny asked.

"Like I've been in a car accident," Sheldon said through his pain, keeping his gaze on Amy.

Penny and Leonard felt the tension growing between Amy and Sheldon. They had decided that maybe it was better to leave them alone to talk for a little while. Penny and Leonard said there final words with Sheldon and told Amy that they would be waiting for her in the waiting room. Amy suddenly felt the urge to throw up again. Sheldon never once took his eyes off of her. She felt like it was as though he enjoyed seeing her squirm.

"Perhaps I should go with them," Amy said, hurriedly walking towards the door.

"Amy…" Sheldon said trying to stop her. She stopped dead in her tracks and his voice rang in her head. She turned around and saw him still staring at her.

"Yes, Sheldon?" She finally said.

"Don't leave just yet," Sheldon said.

"Why shouldn't I?" she asked with a sense of anger in her voice.

"Because, I'm sorry…" Sheldon said, trying to fight back the tear.

"What?" Amy was in disbelief. This was so unlike Sheldon. Never had she ever heard him apologize for arguing, let alone be so vulnerable.

"I was a complete ass to you tonight. There was no excuse for the way I acted. You are a big part of my life and I don't want anything to jeopardize that. I don't want to have to let you go," Sheldon said. He didn't know what he was saying, he just knew that he needed to say it. He knew that this wasn't like him, but he also knew that at the way he was, wasn't working.

"Sheldon, I'm not going anywhere," Amy said through tears. She raced over to give him a hug, being careful to not cause him anymore pain. After a few moments, she pulled away and kissed his forehead.

"Amy, I do care about you a great deal," Sheldon said.

"I care a great deal about you too, Sheldon," She replied as she sat down on the side of his bed. "Let's just forget the whole thing happened tonight. You need to focus on getting better now."

Amy was relieved that that Sheldon was okay, but she never wanted to come that close to losing him again. She told him that he needed to get some rest and kissed him on the forehead again before leaving the room. She walked out to the waiting room to find the Howard, Raj, and Bernadette had joined Leonard and Penny.

"How is he?" Howard asked Amy.

"He's resting now. He'll be in pain for a few days, but he will be okay," Amy replied.

"How'd the conversation go?" Penny asked.

"Fairly well. I am certain that we will move past this," Amy said, reassuringly.

"So, will he be okay by the time the wedding gets here?" Bernadette asked.

"We will just have to see," Amy replied.

Truth be told, she had completely forgotten about the wedding through this whole mess. Her and Sheldon were suppose to go together. She had hoped that he would be better soon. That was the day she was going to tell him that she loved him.

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><p>AN: I have to say, this story has been a lot of fun to write and you all are the best. This was the first story I have written in six years and I'm glad you all liked it. However, all good things must come to an end. Next chapter will more than likely be the last one. But I do have a few tricks up my sleeve. A sequel perhaps?


	8. Chapter 8

A few weeks had passed since the accident. Sheldon was healing slowly but surly. Amy was helping him recover as much as she could, but no matter what she did, he wasn't getting better fast enough to suit her taste. The wedding was tomorrow and Sheldon was still sore from the accident. Amy knew that it was going to be a long road for Sheldon, but she had hoped that it wouldn't take this long for him to get back to 100%. Regardless, he still agreed to go to the wedding with Amy, so she was just happy to have his company. It didn't seem to matter as much to Amy that they would probably just be sitting at a table most of the night while their friends danced the night away. As long as she had Sheldon with her, Amy would have fun either way.

Amy had been over at Leonard and Sheldon's apartment everyday since Sheldon came home. When she wasn't with Penny and Bernadette doing various last minute wedding preparations, she was with Sheldon, caring for him and nursing him back to health. Today, however, she had to spend most of her day with the girls. It was the day before the wedding and there was so much that still needed to be done. Amy stopped in to check on Sheldon before heading out with Penny and Bernadette. Leonard let her into the apartment as he was leaving to go help Howard out with his last minute wedding preparations. The exchanged pleasantries before Leonard said something about running late and hurrying out the door. Amy made her way to Sheldon's room, where he had been spending most of his time since he got home.

"Sheldon, how are you feeling today?" Amy asked as she entered the room.

"Doing better. I don't feel quite as sore today as I have the past few weeks. Perhaps I am mending finally," Sheldon said, sitting on the edge of his bed, trying to put on him shoes. He winced in pain as he bent over to put on his shoe and Amy hurried over to help him. She didn't like seeing him in so much pain.

"It's fine. I have to do this on my own eventually," Sheldon said as he tried to stop Amy from helping. She reluctantly agreed to let him put his shoe on by himself. After a couple of failed attempts, Sheldon was able to successfully do it himself. He felt rather accomplished and proud of himself. True, this wasn't one of his major accomplishments, like his work on String Theory, but in light of everything that had happened in the last couple of weeks, it was a big accomplishment at the moment. Sheldon knew that he was lucky to be alive at the particular moment.

"Well, I just wanted to check in and make sure you were doing alright before I left for the day to help Penny and Bernadette. I see you are managing just fine one your own," Amy said.

"Thank you, Amy. You certainly have been a great help through all of this. I don't know what I would have done with out you." Sheldon replied. His response caught Amy off guard. It was unlike him to act so vulnerable like this. He certainly would have never admitted needing someone before the accident. Amy decided not the think too much into it and gave Sheldon a kiss before leaving with to meet up with the girls. They said their goodbyes and Amy left.

The fact of the matter was that Sheldon had changed after the accident. He heard the doctors say that had the car hit just a few inches either way, he would not be alive. He would never get to see Amy again and apologize for the way he had acted. The thought just didn't sit well with him. He was grateful that he had survived the accident and knew he had to make it up to Amy. The whole accident made him realize that life is short and at anytime, it could be over in the blink of an eye.

Amy had met up with the girls at the nearby salon and spa for a spa day to get ready for the wedding. Amy wasn't too keen on the idea, but this wasn't her day, it was Bernadette's. Amy was the maid of honor, which meant that she catered to the bride.

"Amy! Over here!" Penny waived Amy over to where her and Bernadette were waiting. "How is Sheldon?" Penny asked sympathetically.

"He is doing better. He was able to put on his shoes by himself today. That's progress in my book," Amy said, enthusiastically.

"I'm happy he's going to be able to make it the wedding. I know Howie is excited," Bernadette added to the conversation.

No one had really seen Sheldon since he got home from the hospital. Whenever they were over at the apartment, Sheldon was hiding in his room. He was on a mission to get as well as possible before the wedding and in order to do that, he needed to be distraction-free. He wanted to be able to dance with Amy at the reception because he knew that it would mean a lot to her. He was going to do come hell or high water.

"Sheldon is equally as excited to go, strangely enough. He's usually not the type to be excited over weddings," Amy said.

"Well, maybe he's just excited to get to spend time with you," Bernadette replied.

"Perhaps," Amy said.

The girls finished up their spa day and went on to finish up the last minute details for the wedding. They checked into the hotel that they would be staying at for the night. It was the same hotel that the wedding was going to be held at. In light of their religious differences, Bernadette and Howard had decided to go a non-traditional route and not have a church wedding. The girls went down the courtyard to finish decorating for the next day's festivities.

Meanwhile, Leonard, Raj, and Howard had finished up their errands and came back to Leonard and Sheldon's apartment for one last guy's night before the wedding. Sheldon was sitting in the living room, lost in his own thought. He heard the boys entering the apartment and it snapped him back to reality.

"Everything okay, Sheldon?" Leonard asked when he saw Sheldon jump.

"Oh yes, just doing some thinking. How was the last minute wedding preparations? Is everything in order for tomorrow?" Sheldon asked.

"Oh sure. We even picked up your tux for you. We're all meeting at the hotel tomorrow around 11," Howard responded.

"My tux? I thought I wasn't apart of your wedding party anymore since the accident?" Sheldon questioned.

"Well, you seem to be doing better now and I just thought, what kind of wedding would it be if all of my best friends weren't standing there next me as I married the girl of my dreams?" Howard replied.

Sheldon was touched by the sentiment. He had only considered Howard a good acquaintance before, but having heard Howard call him a best friend, Sheldon thought that perhaps it was time to upgrade Howard to good friend. Besides, Howard, along with everyone else in their group of friends, had been so helpful with his recovery.

The boys had their one last night together. They had a Planet of the Apes marathon and reflected on all the good times they had over the years as single men. If anyone had told them that this is were they would be, none of them would have believed it. Just a few years ago, they were just a group of science geniuses working to make the next big discovery. Never in a million years would they have imagined that one of them would be getting married, let alone any of them dating.

Before any of them knew it, it was the day of the wedding. Everyone had began getting ready for the big event. The girls were busy getting their hair done while the boys were busy getting ready. The time seemed to fly by and guests were starting to file in. The next things everyone knew, it was time to begin the ceremony. The courtyard at the hotel had been beautifully decorated by the girls in navy blue, violet, and white. It was Bernadette dream wedding.

The music began to play and the guests settled in and took their seats. Howard, Raj, Leonard and Sheldon all took their places at the alter and waited for the girls to come down the aisle. Penny and Amy made their way down. Leonard's heart started to race as he noticed how beautiful Penny looked in her dress. He thought that she always looked beautiful, but today, she looked extra beautiful.

Sheldon laid eyes on Amy and it took his breath away. He was used to seeing her in her usual cotton sweaters, layered over a collared shirt that was usually two sizes to big for her. But today, she looked gorgeous. She had even ditched her glasses for contacts especially for the occasion. It was then that Sheldon started to imagine his own wedding, with Amy walking down the aisle in a white dress. Sheldon had no idea what came over him and shook the thought out of him mind. There was no time for things like that.

The ceremony went off with out a hitch. Bernadette and Howard said 'I do' to each other and with that, it was over. The reception was just on the other side of the courtyard. The sun had began to set and the white lights that girls had set up were on, giving a very romantic feel to the evening. Howard and Bernadette were making their rounds, thanking everyone for coming to wedding. Leonard walked over to Penny and asked her to dance. Raj, who was under the influence of alcohol already, had asked a lovely friend of Bernadette's to dance. That left Amy and Sheldon alone.

"You looked very beautiful today," Sheldon whispered in Amy's ear.

"Thank you. You looked quite handsome yourself," Amy replied. "Sheldon, I need to ask you something."

"What is it?" Sheldon answered.

"Not that I mind the attention from you, but it's unlike you to compliment me on my appearances. Given your uncharacteristic behaviors, I must ask, have you been feeling okay?" Amy questioned.

"I am feeling better than okay. Amy, the accident made me realize that life is short. While I was laying there in the hospital, all I thought about was you and how I would never forgive myself if I never got the chance to apologize for the way I acted that night in restaurant and I never got to make it up to you," he replied.

"You don't need to make it up to me," Amy retorted.

"I do, and I will," Sheldon replied. Just then, the music changed to a slow song. "Amy, may I have this dance?" Sheldon asked as he got up from his seat.

"Do you think you should be dancing? I mean, you're still sore from the accident..." Amy asked.

"You let me worry about that," Sheldon replied.

They made their way out to the dance floor. They got a spot next to Leonard and Penny. Sheldon held Amy in close as the moved to the slow rhythm of the song.

"So, exciting news you guys. Leonard and I are officially back together," Penny said with a huge smile on her face.

"Congratulations guys. May you have many years of happiness," Amy replied. With that, the two couples kept dancing. Amy had her head on Sheldon's chest while they moved ever so slowly. Amy worried about hurting Sheldon, but he didn't seem to be bothered by her head being on his chest or by dancing.

"Amy, I want to tell you something," Sheldon finally said.

"What is it, Sheldon?" Amy asked, raising her head from his chest.

"I love you," Sheldon said sweetly.

Amy had a huge smile on her face. The two continued to dance the night away. The night continued on and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. For Bernadette, Howard, Penny, and Leonard, this was the time of their lives. For Amy and Sheldon, this was a time to reconnect. A lot had changed over the past couple of months for all of them. They had started relationships, enhanced relationships, ended relationships, and mended relationships. All of them had been pushed past their comfort zones into territory that they were not familiar with. They had all changed for the better.

Perhaps Sheldon was the one who had changed the most. He had lived his entire lived dedicated to science. Then, he was forced to admit to himself that perhaps there was more to life and that maybe he could have feelings for another human being beyond platonic ones. He had learned that change happens, whether he likes it or not and that maybe change wasn't such a bad thing.

The End.

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><p>A huge thank you to my faithful readers and everyone who reviewed. You guys are what kept me going and gave me the confidence that I needed to keep writing. I hope you all have enjoyed this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. This is by far my favorite chapter of all the stories I have written. I hope you all like it too.<p> 


	9. The End?

You, my dear readers, have been phenomenal. You've really helped me get back into the swing of things after such a long hiatus from writing. Your reviews have made me even more confident in my writing. For that, I'm offering a sneak peak into my next project. It will be a sequel to this story. I should get around to writing the first chapter around Christmas. Enjoy the little snippet.

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><p>It was a beautiful night out. Snow was falling and holiday spirit was in the air. It seemed like a magical evening where anything could happen. Amy and Sheldon were walking in the park, looking at all the lights that had been put up for season. It was a simple date, yet so perfect to Amy. She was with the man she loved.<p>

"Sheldon, this evening was lovely. Thank you," Amy said, grabbing Sheldon's hand. Sheldon smiled and gave her a gentle kiss to which she reciprocated.

"Amy, I have to tell you something," Sheldon said.

"What is it, Sheldon?" Amy asked. Her heart started racing. She was nervous. She had no idea what this could be about.

"Amy, I care a great deal about you. In fact, I love you. You've changed my life. You've changed me. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. I want to give you something." Sheldon stepped back and reached into his pocket and…

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><p>See you in a few weeks! =]<p> 


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